{"id":20137,"date":"2022-04-12T15:03:47","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T15:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etags.com\/blog\/?p=20137"},"modified":"2026-01-16T14:05:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T14:05:36","slug":"what-voids-you-cars-warranty-why-your-claim-can-be-denied","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etags.com\/blog\/what-voids-you-cars-warranty-why-your-claim-can-be-denied\/","title":{"rendered":"What Voids You Car\u2019s Warranty & Why Your Claim Can Be Denied"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

It\u2019s surprisingly easy to void your car\u2019s warranty. If you plan to use the warranty to pay for work you\u2019ve had done, the mechanic (or dealership service center) will need to file a claim. For a number of reasons, your claim could be denied. It could be something as simple as neglecting to keep up routine maintenance of your vehicle properly like regular oil changes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

You don\u2019t want to find yourself in a situation where you pay twice for car repairs when it would have or should have been covered! Check out the reasons below for why your car\u2019s warranty can cancel out and what you can do to avoid it!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What\u2019s a car warranty and what does it cover?<\/span><\/strong>
All car warranties aren\u2019t the same. There are two major kinds and they have a variety of coverage options. You\u2019ve got a manufacturer warranty and an extended warranty (no relation to the scammers who call your phone 10 times a day to tell you that the extended warranty that you never had is expired.)\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Dealerships file a claim under the warranty which is how they get paid for the work<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Manufacturer warranty<\/strong> is the protection you get when buying a new vehicle<\/strong>
<\/span>This is the warranty you get when buying a new car. It usually covers repairs on every part of the car, but only within the first three years or 36,000 miles. The fees for this (manufacturer warranty) coverage are included in the price of your car, crossover, pickup truck, or convertible.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

A manufacturer\u2019s warranty takes care of big-ticket items like transmission and engine issues. It can also cover things that may seem small but have a hefty price tag like AC systems and \u201ccar computer\u201d related problems. The manufacturer\u2019s warranty also may cover major electrical parts and your audio system. If you\u2019ve got a rear backup camera or a techy screen to view your music and navigation, these parts might be covered in case of damage.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Last year, Carfax said there were 378,000 flooded cars back on the roads, and it estimates that 212,000 cars may have been damaged in Hurricane Ida<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Having your manufacturer\u2019s warranty voided or canceled IS possible <\/strong><\/span>
How you use and operate your vehicle can invalidate coverage and claim. Altering the odometer is one way. Tampering with the odometer prevents a manufacturer from getting an accurate reading, thus voiding the contract. In Florida, it\u2019s a felony to tamper with, adjust, alter, set back, disconnect, or fail to connect the odometer of a motor vehicle to reflect a lower mileage than the vehicle has actually been driven. Civil penalties can include fines of up to $10,000 for each violation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Sometimes automakers won\u2019t accept the warranty coverage if your vehicle\u2019s been damaged by a natural disaster or environmental damage. When it comes to hurricanes, tornadoes, or even a bad blizzard, you end up with flooding. The amount of flood damage depends on how bad the storm was; surges in low-lying areas can be a real nightmare. Naturally, the water sets off a corrosive process to the undercarriage of the car. Not to mention how water damage can shorten the life of your exhaust and destroy your alternator, starter motor, and even your brakes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

In these cases, you want to check your auto insurance to see what\u2019s covered there. Lastly, improper use of your vehicle would be a deal-breaker for most manufacturers. If you\u2019re drag racing your Honda Civic on the highway and your car is damaged as a result, your coverage claim may be denied.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Always read the fine print of car warranty paperwork; look for \u201cwhat is not covered\u201d aka \u201cwarranty limitations\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Extended warranty for your vehicle<\/span><\/strong>
You can add this to the manufacturer\u2019s warranty when you buy a new car, but it\u2019ll usually have to be through another company. The more common practice is to get an extended warranty once your manufacturer\u2019s warranty expires. There are lots of different extended warranty companies. Extendedautowarranty.com went through the trouble of compiling a list of the top ten extended warranty companies including the cost, coverage, and reviews.
SEE ALSO: DO YOU NEED AN EXTENDED CAR WARRANTY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Endurance Warranty tops the list citing the most transparent coverage and even covers salvage titled vehicles<\/a> which is a pretty big deal in the warranty game. It\u2019s usually a hard no for manufacturers.\u00a0
Extended warranties come with a load of coverage options. The big ones include:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n